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Louis John “Lou” Paulsen, age 90, passed away July 9. Paulsen was the founder of Can-Doo Budjet Rentals in Abilene, Texas.

After opening his portable sanitation business in 1981, Paulsen became a dedicated Portable Sanitation Association International member. He eventually spent six years serving on the PSAI board of directors and never missed an opportunity to encourage other portable restroom operators to join.

Lou Paulsen

Paulsen was also known in the industry for his professionalism and high standards of service. He highlighted these points in a 2013 interview with Portable Restroom Operator magazine: “The first thing I tell a new employee is that if a restroom isn’t clean enough for his mother, wife, daughter or girlfriend to use, it’s not clean. And if he doesn’t want to clean restrooms to that standard, he can hit the road.”

Paulsen tempered his high standards with a healthy sense of humor. He often appeared in TV and radio commercials for Can-Doo Budjet Rentals as his alter ego, Luke Warmwater, with the catchy slogan, “You have to have one when you don’t need one if you expect to have one when you do. And it’s better to have one and not need one than to need one and not have one.”

Paulsen was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1928. He was preceded in death by 14 days by his wife, Sharon. He is survived by four children, Randy (LeAnn) Paulsen, Gail Isen, Mark Paulsen and Brian (Sherri) Paulsen; three stepchildren, K.C. (Alice) Hawthorne, Karyn Hawthorne and Kimberly Hawthorne; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one brother. Services were held July 15 at North's Funeral Home followed by interment at Texas State Veterans Cemetery.